Maritime Pacific Brewing

Maritime Pacific Brewing  11Dec2016

In the Ballard area Redhook predates Maritime Pacific Brewing. Redhook moved to Fremont then to Woodinville and sold a piece of themselves to Anheuser Busch while Maritime stayed independent and grew in Ballard. Maritime had the place all alone until a bunch of upstarts like NW Peaks, Reuben’s, and Stoup set up shop. Maritime has not been getting a lot of love lately but retains

In the summer the outdoor seating area is active and the tress create some intimacy. 

a place in my heart. I walked down to the taproom to see what was on offer. The brewery is on the same block as the Cash and Carry, Office Max and Captain’s Nautical Supply.

Today the indoors was the place to be and the place began to fill as the game got started.

As you enter the taproom the kitchen is visible in front of you and to the right you can see the chalk board tap list, the bar, and the seating area. I stepped up to the bar as the Seahawks’ game was starting and ordered a taster of mostly dark beers. They offer a few lagers but the hopping rate is low, which makes them unattractive to me.

The tap list. Look for it as you enter the restaurant. Plenty of IPAs but I went for the dark beers.

Tasting Notes:

Flagship Red Ale (5.5%, 28 IBU): Clear red appearance. Slight hop aroma. Dry, bitter, rich mouthfeel (hop oil?) and some esters. Dry bitter finish.

Night Watch Porter (5.5%, 23 IBU): Clear black with red highlights. Roast aroma. Rich mouthfeel, dry and balanced taste. Roast and dry finish.

Bosun’s Black Porter (5.5%, 23 IBU): Roast malt aroma. Opaque black with red highlights. Smooth, dry, malty with black malt flavor. Dry bitter finish.

Navigator Dunkelweizen Bock (7.0%, 26 IBU): Ester nose. Hazy red appearance. Layered flavor with esters in front, spice, then bitterness. Rich mostly dry bitter sweet finish. Typical weizen yeast profile.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Jolly Roger (9.5%, 52 IBU): Clear deep red appearance. Whiskey and barrel aroma. Dry, bitter, oaky, rich flavor followed by alcoholic strength. Dry, bitter, bourbon finish. A very nice example of a true Christmas beer in that it’s an amped up version of Flagship.

  

From l to r (back) Bosun's, (front) Flagship, Nightwatch, (back) Navigator, and (front) Jolly.

In their own way Maritime is keeping up with the times and trying to compete with the newcomers in the Ballard Brewery District. They have always used a smidge of wheat in all of their beers, which may be why I have always perceived the Flagship to be more bitter than its 28 IBU. I like that all of the beers are dry and well brewed. Because they are dry, most of the beers are more-ish and pair well with the pub food that Maritime does so well. As the Seahawks sank slowly into Lambeau Field I polished off my tasters, a generous 5 by 5 ounces and headed out to walk back up the slight hill to my home. When you visit Ballard, don’t overlook Maritime.

Stoup Brewing

Stoup Brewing  28Nov2016

I was scanning my brewery list to see who was open on a Monday and I was feeling lazy. I haven’t written about Stoup Brewing even though I have frequented it. I took a quick walk on a dry day in November, a rare occurrence. Stoup is in the Ballard brewery district in a mixed light industrial and residential neighborhood. They draw a lot of foot traffic.

 

The street view of the brewery

The day was partly cloudy and fine after all the rain we’ve had, so the front garage door was open. The temperature was in the 40s, which made the seating area a bit chilly. The greeting was Seattle cool, as well, polite but reserved.

The taproom can expand onto the front patio in warmer weather.

The taproom ambiance is industrial warehouse with the brew-house clearly visible from the inside sitting area. In warm weather the outdoor seating areas get a lot of use. As you enter the taproom the bar is clearly visible as is the expanding beer list. 

The information laden beer list with the brewery visible behind it

The top entries on the list are more regular brews while the lower entries are more limited beers. I ordered a taster of 5 four ounce samples of the beers from the bottom of the list.

Tasters l to r Hoppy Farmhouse, Dublin Down, Cashed Out Black IPA, Whisker Stout, and Russian Imperial Stout

Tasting Notes:

Hoppy Farmhouse (6.1%, 30 IBU): Pale gold with a slight haze. Hop aroma with a slight funk. Dry light body, bitterness with a slight sour tang. Some esters. A bit of pepper in the finish.

Dublin Down (10.0%, 48 IBU): An imperial red aged in Jameson barrels. Clear red with a slight haze. Whiskey and malt aroma. Sweet malt and bitter and barrel. Some vanilla from the oak and esters forming a pear flavor. No alcohol heat and no hop aroma. Sweet finish. Dangerously drinkable.

Cashed Out Black IPA (7.3%, 58 IBU): Black and opaque with reddish highlights. Hop aroma from unidentified hops. Very bitter, light body, roast in the finish. Bitter and roasted malt finish.

Whisker Stout (7.0%, 55 IBU): Opaque black with slight red highlights. Roast malt aroma with some alcohol in the nose. Thin body, bitter, and roast malt flavor. No hop aroma. Bitter roast malt finish.

Russian Imperial Stout (9.2%, 90 IBU): Absolutely black and opaque. Alcohol and sweet malt. Alcohol heat, bitter, full body, roast malt, and sweet. Bitter sweet finish. 

As the sun set on my brewery visit I snapped a picture of the residences across the street

As the weather temperatures were in the upper 40s and I was sitting in the open doorway, I am not sure my ales ever reached proper drinking temperature of around 55 °F. High gravity beers are usually much more flavorful as they warm up. I polished off my beers pretty quickly so I could warm up on the walk home. The beers were all well-made and interesting. Stoup is worth a visit.

Reuben’s Brews

Reuben’s Brews  18Nov2016

I had swung by Reuben’s last week to try a New England style IPA, but the place was packed by an event, which caused me to pass it by to go elsewhere. I don’t like standing in line for beer. Except at the ballpark. Reuben’s early on a Friday afternoon is only sparsely populated, I did not have to wait in line, and I easily found a place to sit and admire the brewery.

Your friendly neighborhood brewery with parking in front blocked off for the food truck yet to arrive

 As you enter the taproom the seating area surrounds you, the beer list is prominent in front of you, and the cylindroconicals are visible to the rear of the space. 

As you walk in the front door there is no doubt where the beer might be.

The ambience is industrial warehouse with a serious brewery vibe. The people behind the bar are knowledgeable and friendly.

The brewing equipment and brewers are not behind glass.

I checked the beer list and decided to do mostly IPAs including the latest New England style Citra Crush. A set of 6 by 4 oz. tasters seemed appropriate with so many (more than 20) choices.

So many beers, so little time. And a limited capacity. I'm a lightweight.

Tasting Notes:

Back row (l to r) Roasted Rye IPA, Auld Heritage, Citra Crush; Front row (l to r) Hop Tropic, Triumvirate, Pilsner

Pilsner (5.5% ABV 35 IBU): Clear pale gold. Bready aroma. Full body with balanced sweetness and bitterness with an ever so slight sourness. Dry finish.

Triumvirate IPA (6.0% ABV 52 IBU): Slightly hazy gold. Sweaty hop aroma – some onion. Full body and hop oil richness with bitter and sweet flavor. The bitterness and sweetness linger into the finish.

Hop Tropic (6.2% ABV 48 IBU): Hazy pale gold. Mild hop aroma. Full body with good balance shaded toward bitter. Tropical hop flavor. Mostly bitter finish.

Citra Crush – Nitro (6.0% ABV 47 IBU): Very hazy pale yellow. Dank fruity hop aroma. Malty full body with fruity hops and a slight bitterness. Bitter finish.

Auld Heritage (8.7% ABV 58 IBU): Clear brown. Sweet malt aroma with some roast. Full body, sweet malt flavor with slight bitterness. Good balance. Bitter finish. A nice winter warmer.

Roasted Rye IPA (7.0% ABV 80 IBU): Reddish brown, slightly hazy. Not much aroma. Medium body and bitter. Integrated grain and hop flavor. Bitter finish. This an old school IPA with an emphasis on bitterness and malt body.

Reuben’s is an award winning brewery which has gained a reputation for good beer. They make well brewed beers, experiment constantly, and when they release bottled special beers, the lines are long. The place is often packed but can offer sanctuary on certain off times like Friday afternoon. I tasted my beers and then pulled out my book and finished off the set while reading and watching the workers operate the brewery. Once I finished home was just a quick walk away. I savored the bitterness still on my tongue - Reuben's is not afraid to pile on the hops.

NW Peaks Brewery

NW Peaks Brewery 13Nov2016

NW Peaks is a short walk from my house. It has been in the local brewing news because they have acquired Spinnaker Bay brewing in Columbia City. I dropped in because I wanted to find out if the local NW Peaks taproom would be continuing to brew and pour any of the Spinnaker Bay beers, especially the CDA, Black High Heel. The answer was that they haven’t decided yet. One can only hope.

The Bergschrund (crevasse) in a fairly old but refurbished building

The Bergschrund used to be the Bit Saloon before it was acquired by NW Peaks. NW Peaks was a very small brewery with a tiny taproom before the building got shot out from under them. They moved into the Saloon and contract brewed wherever they could get fermenter space. Now they will brew - beginning in December – in Columbia City. We will watch the news and taste the beer.

As you enter you see the bar and the beer list

As you enter the tap room you see booths on the left and the bar toward the back on the right. The beer list is on a monitor in the barroom and the greeting is NW friendly. The feel is tavern like and perfect for a rainy day. I opted to have a couple of schooners instead of a flight of samplers. I have had the regular beers, and they are all well made. I ordered Stuart Stout and Enchantment Ale.

More seating beyond the main room with the bar

Tasting Notes:

Stuart Stout (5%): Opaque black with a dark tan head. Roast malt aroma. Tastes of roasted malt with a medium body and good balance between malt and bitterness. Dry finish.

Stuart Stout

Enchantment Ale (6.3%): Enchantment Ale is a saison style ale brewed without Brettanomyces or lactobacillus – only saison yeast. It appears a pale gold color with only a slight haze. Vinous Belgian yeast aroma. Yeast flavor predominates with a slight pepper note from the phenols. Slightly sour with very low bitterness. Dry with a dry finish.

Enchantment Ale

I didn’t get a stamp in my Washington Beer Lovers passport because I have already been to NW Peaks a couple of times this year. Lately the beers have been good but not attention getting. I expect the experimentation to pick up once they put the brewery in Columbia City to work for themselves. I’ve had some amazing beers there when they had their own equipment. I keep going back due, as much as anything, to proximity.

Hale's Ales

Hale’s Ales Brewery  04Nov2016

Hale’s is a long walk from Fremont Brewing, but I needed to get my steps. Hale’s is one of the oldest breweries in the state of Washington and was established in 1983 in Colville before it moved to Kirkland and finally settled in Frellard. I have visited Hale’s many times over the years, drinking beer and dining. I have even obtained one yeast start for my homebrew many years ago. The food is good pub fare and the beer has always been well made.

Hale's is visible from Leary Way

The entryway is an open waiting and seating area with a fine open view of the brewery on the right and doorways on the left lead to the bar and dining areas. The bar and dining areas have the nice homely feel of an English pub. The greeting is usually somewhat impartial and competent. Questions are answered knowledgeably and in a friendly way.

  

Entryway with brewery visible in the background and pub entrance on the left

The beer list is visible above the bar and is printed and available at every table and at the bar. Ask a server what seasonals are on tap and if anything is on cask.

Beers listed above the bar

I ordered a Red Menace (4.8% ABV, 9 IBU) and noted its clear red color. It has a big hop, beery aroma. It’s bitter up front seeming to present more than 9 IBU with some diacetyl but it’s also dry. It has a dry bitter finish.

The Red Menace is on the bar

We usually end up at Hale’s to finish the annual pub crawl and to get some food to help settle stomachs awash in beer. After settling up I made the long walk home. On the way I stopped at BevMo and picked up a bottle of Black Butte XXVIII. I’ll put that one away and drink the XXVI soon.

Fremont Brewing

Fremont Brewing  04Nov2016

I think we're in Fremont

I’ve been seeing pictures of Dark Star on my beer tasting themed Facebook pages, which pushed me to plan a trip to Fremont Brewing. Fremont has been building a well-deserved reputation for brewing prowess. I jumped aboard the 40, which dropped me in downtown Fremont to make a short walk to the brewery.

Another Fremont landmark difficult to miss

The brewery and tap room presents a prosperous looking face toward N 34^th Street. The taps and the beer list are readily apparent as you enter the building after passing the outdoor seating area. 

Stand back, pick your beer, and then step right up

Looking left from the entrance

I wanted to try the Dark Star but I hadn’t read the fine print on line, so when I saw it was 14.5% ABV I decided on a 4 oz. taster because I am a light weight. I also wanted to try the spice version and skip the coffee version. I ordered a couple of other tasters to make a flight.

Left to right: sour with lime, IIPA randal, Dark Star, and Dark Star Spice Wars

Tasting Notes:

Sour with Lime (4% ABV, 10 IBU): Cloudy pale yellow. Lime and sour aroma. Straight forward sour flavor of lime. Refreshing.

The Brother IIPA randaled with fruit (8.5% ABV, 90IBU): Dark gold, slightly hazy. Fruity and dank hop aroma. Fruity, hoppy flavor with a long, bitter finish.

Dark Star (14.5% ABV, 50 IBU): Labeled as an oatmeal stout. Opaque black color with a tan head. Rich roasty chocolate and biscuit aroma. All of those aromas are in the flavor and the alcohol is well hidden. Absolutely delicious.

Dark Star Spice Wars (14.5% ABV, 50 IBU): Opaque black color with a tan head. Some spice in the aroma – suppresses the biscuit aroma. Spicy flavor added to the flavors of Dark Star. The spices seemed to bring out the alcohol and decrease the smoothness of the base beer.

Looking right from the entrance

The indoor seating area has a lot of space for when the weather turns wet and cold. The outdoor seating area is pleasant in sunny weather, and it had more patrons seated enjoying beer than were seated inside on this clear day. I enjoyed my beer and book indoors in the quiet. If you are in the Fremont area, seek out Fremont Brewing to try some beer. Their everyday beers are well made and interesting, and they usually have some of their limited releases on tap. From here I set out to walk to Hale’s Ales.

Holy Mountain Brewing

Holy Mountain Brewing  28Oct2016

I saw the posting on Facebook for Holy Mountain’s Lush Land, a murky looking pale ale and I knew I had to reacquaint myself with the brewery. I caught the D-Line, the beginning and sometimes the end, of many a brewery hunting expedition. A short ride later I was at the front door of Holy Mountain, which is tucked away from the major arterial, Elliott Ave.

The substantial looking black door is set back from the street. Note the sandwich board to the left.

As you enter the front door you are confronted with a long hallway that leads you past the bike rack and the bathrooms into the tap room. 

The hallway

The bike rack

The bar patrons face the brewery equipment and the taproom forms an L around the bar. A large loading dock door opens to provide a view of the Burlington Northern train tracks running along Elliott Bay. You can’t see the bay because of all the train cars idling on the tracks.

The taproom is light and open but appears dark due to inexpert camera work. Note the loading dock door to the left.

The beer list is visible from both sides of the L and it is available in print from one of the friendly serving people at the bar. 

The beer list.

In the past I have had the Black Beer and it is one of my favorites (you may notice I have a lot of favorites), so I ventured off into unknown territory and ordered the Lush Land and some Saisons. I have not listed any bitterness. The brewers don’t have the beer tested for IBU and they don’t make their guess available. None of the beers I sampled were overpoweringly bitter.

Tasting Notes:

Lush Land (5% ABV): Cloudy pale gold. Citrus nose. Light to medium body with citrus hops and malt backing. Hops are mostly present in the aroma and finish. Dry balanced finish.

Covenant (4.7% ABV): Slightly cloudy pale gold. Lactic, sour nose. Mildly sour good body. Sweet sour finish. Restrained bitterness.

Somnium (5.4% ABV): Clear pale gold. Fruity musty aroma. Sour rotting fruit flavor. Meaty Brettanomyces character.

Transfiguration (6.1% ABV): Clear dark gold. Wood and rotting fruit aroma. Minty hops and sturdy malt backing. Bitter finish. Has an herbal character I can’t place.

Left to right: Lush Land, Covenant, Somnium, and Transfiguration

Holy Mountain is on the brewing edge with its experimentation with wild yeast and wood-aided fermentations. I applaud their efforts and my favorite beers are the non-sour beers lacking Brettanomyces. But that’s just me. I am sure that someone has experimented with Brettanomyces treated porter, stout or stock ale to produce what the English called stale. After all, that is the style of beer from which the wild yeast was first isolated. I am just not aware of such a beer locally. I leisurely finished my beers as the trains rumbled by outside the loading dock door, and then I grabbed a D-Line back home.

Floating Bridge Brewing

Floating Bridge Brewing  21Oct2016

I walked the relatively short distance from Big Time to Floating Bridge Brewing (http://floatingbridgebrewing.com/) to get my steps in, don’t you know. I walked past the first apartment, in which I lived when I moved to Seattle, and where I met my wife. The building is still standing in the beautiful setting of a surrounding parking lot and an adjacent gas station.

I tried to get a picture from across 45th but traffic was too heavy.

Floating Bridge (open in 2016) is located in a retail space right next door to the historic Blue Moon Tavern. 

The historic Blue Moon is right next door. I should go in some day.

The address is on NE 45^th a few blocks from I-5 with the attendant traffic and traffic noise (seemingly many honking drivers were impatient to get somewhere on a Friday evening). The brewery and the tap room are all in one large open space, which is the fashion for recent breweries.

The bar and the taps are readily visible upon initial entry.

You make a 90° turn to the right to see the brewery

I bought a taster, a generous pouring of 5 by 5 oz. samples picked from a list of nine choices from Floating Bridge excluding the guest beer (from Urban Family – a touch of class). The choices were tough because they all looked interesting.

Five 1/3rd pint tasters: Bitter, Blackberry IPA, Black Current Stout, Chai Pale, and Cross Country IPA

Tasting notes:

Chai Pale Ale (5.0%, 31 IBU): Nitro pour cleared to a transparent gold. Spicy aromatics. The beer tasted of pumpkin pie spices with, maybe, some cardamom but not tea (no tea was added – I asked the brewer) and it was dry and malty. The finish was bitter and spicy.

Bitter (5.2%, 45 IBU): Clear red. Yeast aroma. Dry and bitter flavor with some low ester presence. I could drink a lot of this.

Black Current Stout (4.5%, 37 IBU): Black and opaque. Dark malt aroma and some fruit. Fruity richness and slightly sour (from the fruit) with some roast and bitterness. Nice.

Blackberry IPA (6.5%, 65 IBU): Reddish purple and clear. Fruity hop aroma. Restrained fruit and sweet malt and forward hop bitterness. Bitter finish.

Cross Country IPA (5.6%, 65 IBU): Slightly cloudy gold. Standard NW hop aroma. Very bitter, malty, and good body. I was suffering tasting fatigue at this point so I’ll just say it’s a well-made IPA.

The tasting room at Floating Bridge is not homey and yet I feel right at home surrounded by brewery equipment. The scale is such that it doesn’t feel overwhelming. Beers are well made and the English style beers are not overly sweet, which I can’t say for some other breweries.

After I polished off my tasters I hopped the 44 to roll on back to Ballard – I’ve got a dinner to prepare, man.

Big Time Brewery

Big Time Brewery  21Oct2016

I haven’t been to the U district for some time so I hopped the 44 and jumped off at The Ave (University Way) to wander the nearly 4 blocks down to Big Time Brewery (http://bigtimebrewery.com/). Big Time has been in place since 1988 making it one of the long time breweries in town. This is not my first visit.

The brick facade gives Big Time a warm, welcoming presentation

The place has a nice saloon feel with the old school configuration of the brew kit walled off behind glass beside the seating area. 

Where's the brewer? We want a show!

The establishment is near the University of Washington making it a handy to Udub students, who seem to make up a large part of the clientele.

When you enter, you are confronted with the beer list and the food ordering window

I studied the beer list at the bar and ordered a sampler tray, which didn’t include the Baghwan’s Best IPA as it was tapped out. 

Left to right: porter, mild, IPA, Octoberfest

Tasting notes:

Rockhill Mild (5.1% ABV ?IBU): Clear dark amber. Sweet malty aroma. Some diacetyl, with malty sweetness but then a bitter finish. Good body. It’s a bit filling for a mild.

Octoberfest Marzen (6.5% ?IBU): Clear light amber with no aroma. Malty with slight sweetness and dry finish. Seems a bit hot for Octoberfest. Thin body.

Coal Creek Porter (5.4% ?IBU): Dark brown to black and nearly opaque. Sweet roasty aroma. Malty roasty flavor with balanced bitterness.

Galactigasm IPA (6.5% 55IBU): Clear dark gold. Sweaty hop aroma, malt body with hop oil richness. Mixed hop flavor. Fruity lingering bitterness and sweetness. Brewer’s notes give Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin, Amarillo, and Citra hops in the recipe.

  

Big Time is a brewpub that doesn’t do a lot of production scale work, so most of its sales are food and drink to the local customers. I like the mix of old farts and students in a wood paneled, well used room. The beer is well made and reasonably priced. I can’t say anything about the quality of the food, as usual.

Old Stove Brewing

Old Stove Brewing 7Oct2016

Restaurants along 1st Ave have sidewalk space.

I was on my way down to the market (Pike Place Market) to get myself some Appenzeller cheese. I had my eye on a newish (opened in May) brewery called Old Stove to try out. So the D line deposited me on 3^rd Avenue to make a short walk to the Sanitary Market where the cheese shop resides and then an even shorter walk to the brewpub.

Looking into the opening from the sidewalk. Note the mural.

The brewery is well presented in a nicely upgraded space in one of the old buildings that comprise the Public Market complex. The brewery has a large entrance onto the street with seating on the sidewalk. I am sure that when the weather turns, the large opening will be closed off to create a warmer space in which to imbibe.

One side of the printed beer list. Check both sides!

The beer list was printed on paper and plenty of lists were presented on the counter where people order beer. Food was available, but I didn’t look at the list because I had dinner to prepare when I got home. When I looked at the beer list I was surprised at the range of beers on offer. I ordered six 4 oz. tasters and retired to a small table to sample away.

Tasters and the beer list (from left to right).

Tasting Notes:

Pilsner (5.4% 35 IBU): Clear gold, with a malty, beery aroma. Rich, sweet, malt and hop initial flavor. Dry bitter finish.

Ivy’s Extra Special Bitter (6.2% 43 IBU): Dark red with a slight haze. Not much aroma. Sweet malt, with a bitter finish. Might be similar to Fuller’s.

Rake Breaker Fresh Hop Pale Ale (7% 52 IBU): Beer list says Cascades were used for the fresh hops. Hazy gold, Cascade aroma. Sweet malt with a bright Cascade flavor and an increasingly bitter finish. Late mint hint.

Rake Breaker Fresh Hop Pale Ale (7% 52 IBU): Beer list says El Dorado hops were used for this fresh hop ale. Hazy gold, with a very hoppy fruity aroma. Sweet malt with a bitter finish. Lingering flavor of melons.

IPA (6.6% 70 IBU): Mostly clear dark gold with general hop aroma. Graham cracker, sweet malt and mixed NW hop profile with restrained bitterness. Bitter, oily finish.

Manatee Grove Imperial Stout (9% 66 IBU): Black, opaque, with some red highlights. Malt aroma. Roasty malt flavor and pronounced bitterness. Dry finish.

A view through the front opening toward 1st and Pine.

Old Stove is a well laid out and nicely presented brewpub. I was skeptical that the beer would match the presentation. I was pleased that the beer was well made and interesting. I recommend it if you are in the neighborhood. Old Stove is good competition for Pike Brewing and Cloudburst. After I polished off the beers (all high octane) I staggered back to the D Line and made the short ride back home in time to prepare dinner.

Skagit River Brewing

Skagit River Brewing 30Sep2016

Skagit River Brewing (http://www.skagitbrew.com/) is not in Seattle; in fact it’s in Mount Vernon, an hour drive away from Ballard. We made the trip to La Conner to the Fiber Festival and finished the day at Skagit River for Lunch-Dinner. Skagit River is a few blocks from I-5 right next to an active railroad line.

 

The brewery as seen from the side. Note the helpful civic pointer that, indeed, food can be found nearby.

The inviting entrance

 

The entrance takes you right past the restrooms (good for orientation) and kitchen toward the bar. The greeting is a standard restaurant hello-let-me-show-you-to-your-table.

Bar to the right and dining to the left

The cozy dining area. Note the brewery equipment in the back window

The dining area is a cozy, warm space featuring wood and brick with a view through glass of the brewing area. I didn’t get a picture of the beer board, but nothing exotic was on offer. So, I ordered a porter then an IPA.

Muddy Highwater Porter

Skullers IPA and the remains of Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Tasting Notes:

Highwater Porter (6.5%, 45IBU): Muddy, opaque brown with a light tan head. Beery and ester aroma. Rich, roasty, bitter, and sweet with a bitter finish. The muddy appearance didn’t seem to affect the taste.

Skuller’s IPA (6.9%, >100 IBU): Clear copper with a white head. Low aroma. Bitter, rich beer with some malt sweetness. This is an old school IPA where the Chinook hops add some citrus but not the heightened citrus of more recent examples of the style. As the beer warmed a nice perfumed hop aroma emerged.

Skagit River is worth a visit if you are in the Mount Vernon area. I thought the food was decent, but, again, I am not much of a food enthusiast except that I like to eat. On the other hand I have always found their beers to be well executed and served in top notch condition.